What are the September Massacres?
The September Massacres were a set of attacks on prisons in Paris between 2 and 7 September 1792. The massacres were justified as a defense of Paris because during this time, France was going through the French Revolution. The attackers believed that a large number of prisoners opposed the Revolution and its efforts, so they wanted to take out opposition to the war. The first act of the September Massacres occurred on 2 September as an act of mob violence. A crowd of angry citizens slaughtered 24 priests who were being transported to the prison L’Abbaye. Though some priests tried to escape into the prison, none were successful. After all the priests were killed, the mob went into the prison and killed many other prisoners too.
